International Journal of PharmTech Research CODEN (USA): IJPRIF ISSN : 0974-4304 Vol. 3, No.2, pp 632-638, April-June 2011 Evaluation of Colombian Rainforest Plants for their DNA Interaction and Cytotoxic Activities YANED MILENA CORREA 1 *, OSCAR MARINO MOSQUERA 2 , JAIME NIÑO 3 1 Grupo de Biotecnología-Productos Naturales, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Sede Principal Calle 65 N° 26-10, Manizales, Colombia. Teléfono 57-6-8781500 extensión 12426. Email :yaned.correa@ucaldas.edu.co 2 Grupo de Biotecnología-Productos Naturales, Escuela de Tecnología Química, Facultad de Tecnologías, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, La Julita, Pereira, Colombia. Teléfono 57-6-3137243. Email: omosquer@utp.edu.co 3 Grupo de Biotecnología-Productos Naturales, Escuela de Tecnología Química, Facultad de Tecnologías, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, La Julita, Pereira, Colombia. Teléfono 57-6-3137243. Email: janino@utp.edu.co *Corres.author: yaned.correa@ucaldas.edu.co Abstract : Seventy five plant extracts from four botanical families were assessed for their cytotoxic activities through the DNA interaction and the brine shrimp lethality tests. The best results in the DNA interaction assay were shown by the dichloromethane extracts of the species Solanum brevifolium (41%, Solanaceae) and Clibadium funkize (31%, Asteraceae), as well as the methanol extracts of both species (S. Brevifolium, 28% and C. funkize 31%). With regards to the brine shrimp lethality assay the best results were showed by the methanol extracts of Mabea montana (LC 50 = 4.0 mg/L, Euphorbiaceae) and Solanum ochranthum (LC 50 = 1.0 mg/L, Solanaceae); as well as the dichloromethane ones of the species from the Rubiaceae family named Ladenbergia macrocarpa (LC 50 = 4.0 mg/L) and Rubiacea sp (LC 50 = 1.0 mg/L). Keywords: Artemia salina, bioactivity, bioprospection, Brine shrimp lethality assay, DNA-inhibition. Introduction It is considered that oxidative damage to cell occurs through several different processes, such as damage to DNA polymerases, prevention of apoptosis, induction of lipid peroxidation, formation of endogenous DNA adducts, among others 1 . Any chemical entity that contributes to neutralize by some specific mechanism the reactive species could preserve DNA integrity and consequently reduce some of the oxidative processes above mentioned and this will be of paramount importance in the search of novel bioactive molecules. Among the plants with good chemopreventive constituents are Morinda citrifolia 2 , Hemsleya amabilis 3 , Aloe arborescens Miller, A. Ferox Miller, A. barbadensis Miller, A. saponaria Haw, among others 4 . On the other hand, the brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) is an indicator used to determine cytotoxicity and insecticidal properties of compounds and plant extracts and it is very useful as a preliminary assessment of bioactivity. It has been used broadly because it is considered efficient, rapid, inexpensive